7/23/2024: Use a better browser

Use a better browser

Plus: The big IT blackout, browser history search, and big laptop savings

Jared Newman   |   July 23, 2024

Hey there! I’m Jared Newman, a veteran tech journalist, and this is the free edition of Advisorator, my weekly tech advice newsletter. If someone shared this newsletter with you, consider signing up to get it every Tuesday. Thanks for reading!

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You can learn a lot about someone—or, at least, about how they use technology—from their choice of web browser.

Some play it safe, sticking with defaults like Safari on a Mac or Microsoft Edge on a Windows PC. Others are creatures of habit, always seeking out Google Chrome and never wondering if a better browser is out there.

Me? I prefer to play the field, tinkering with different browsers as they evolve—and I think you should too. Ultimately, web browsers determine how you experience the internet, governing things like ad blocking and tab management. Switching browsers can unlock new experiences that you didn’t know were possible.

To that end, I’ve assembled a couple of resources on the Advisorator web site:

Both are part of a growing collection of guides and tutorials for Advisorator subscribers.

Whatever your choice may be, don’t be afraid to experiment. Web browsers are free software, the cost of switching is minimal, and trying a new browser is a great way to get out of your tech comfort zone.

News in brief

Last week’s big story was the worldwide IT blackout caused by CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm that offers software for businesses and government agencies. On Friday, the firm delivered a faulty update that stuck millions of Windows machines in an endless reboot, disrupting airlines, banks, gas stations, hotels, and more. IT workers had no choice but to manually fix each affected computer. (Southwest was apparently unaffected because its systems use Windows 3.1.)

If this affected your work or travel in any way, you have my sympathies. While the snafu has no effect on home Windows PC users, I enjoyed Rich DeMuro’s lessons to apply to software updates in general, and Ed Zitron’s drawing a line between CrowdStrike and the greater failures of the tech industry.

Other news tidbits:

Tip of the moment

Search your browsing history: Speaking of browser tips, one of the most powerful search tools is the one that looks through every web page you’ve previously visited. This feature is built into practically every web browser, yet it’s all too easy to overlook:

  • Safari: Tap the bookmark icon (on iPhones) or the sidebar icon (on iPads), then select “History” and swipe down to see the search bar. On a Mac, just hit Cmd+Y.
  • Other desktop browsers: Press Ctrl+H (in Windows) or Cmd+H (on Macs), then type your query into the search bar.
  • Other mobile browsers: Tap the settings or menu button, then look for a History button to tap on, then select the search icon near the top.

I find history search especially useful for tracking down old web searches—for instance, you can add “Google” to your query to narrow things down—or for finding social media posts I’d clicked on in my desktop browser. Unless you manually delete your browsing history, it can uncover things you looked up months or even years ago.

I’ve also added this tip to my list of essential browser tricks for paid subscribers.

Try this app

Fake defragging: Defrag98 is a free site that’ll take you back with the soothing sights and grinding sounds of a hard drive being defragmented. I’m aware that it’s not entirely accurate—there appear to be no segments that actually need defragging—but there’s something almost Pomodoro-like about it, especially with the “Settings” button that lets you choose between different-sized drives.

Spend wisely

The HP Spectre x360 14 is a Windows PC that ticks a lot of boxes. It has a 14-inch OLED touchscreen with 2880 x 1800 resolution (better than 1080p, less power-hungry than 4K), Intel’s latest Ultra 7 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 1 TB solid state drive. It snagged an Editor’s Choice award from PCWorld and was declared the best Windows laptop by Wired, which praised its battery life in particular.

If you’re intrigued, Best Buy’s selling it for $1,000, which is $630 off the sticker price, though the real savvy move is to pick up an open-box model in “Excellent” condition for $820. Best Buy’s open-box deals have yet to let me down.

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Until next week,
Jared